Bai Juyi: Given As a Gift to My Wife

Given As a Gift to My Wife

赠 内

生 为 同 室 亲
死 为 同 穴 尘。
他 人 尚 相 勉
而 况 我 与 君。

黔 娄 固 穷 士
妻 贤 忘 其 贫。
冀 缺 一 农 夫
妻 敬 俨 如 宾。

陶 潜 不 营 生
翟 氏 自 爨 薪。
梁 鸿 不 肯 仕
孟 光 甘 布 裙。

君 虽 不 读 书
此 事 耳 亦 闻。
至 此 千 载 后
传 是 何 如 人？

人 生 未 死 间
不 能 忘 其 身。
所 须 者 衣 食
不 过 饱 与 温。

蔬 食 足 充 饥
何 必 膏 梁 珍。
缯 絮 足 御 寒
何 必 锦 绣 文。

君 家 有 贻 训
清 白 遗 子 孙。
我 亦 贞 苦 士
与 君 新 结 婚。
庶 保 贫 与 素
偕 老 同 欣 欣。

Zeng Nei

Sheng wei tong shi qin
Si wei tong xue chen.
Ta ren shang xiang mian
Er kuang wo yu jun.

Qian lou gu qiong shi
Qi xian wang qi pin.
Ji que yi nong fu
Qi jing yan ru bin.

Tao qian bu ying sheng
Zhai shi zi cuan xin.
Liang hong bu ken shi
Meng guang gan bu qun.

Jun sui bu du shu
Ci shi er yi wen.
Zhi ci qian zai hou
Chuan shi he ru ren?

Ren sheng wei si jian
Bu neng wang qi shen.
Suo xi zhe yi shi
Bu guo bao yu wen.

Shu shi zu chong ji
He bi gao liang zhen.
Zeng xu zu yu han
He bi jin xiu wen.

Jun jia you yi xun
Qing bai yi zi sun.
Wo yi zhen ku shi
Yu jun xin jie hun.
Shu bao pin yu su
Xie lao tong xin xin.

Given As a Gift to My Wife

Let’s make our lives like relatives in the same room
When death arrives, we will be buried together.
Other people also strive to cherish each other in this manner
We can even improve on this situation.

Qian Lou, a scholar who was also satisfied with hometown and family poverty
His wife so able and virtuous they endured any and all circumstances.
Ji Que a famous farmer and husband
His wife was given the honor and dignity as if she was a palace guest.

Tao Yuanming was not seeking family wealth
His wife Zhai naturally gathered firewood for the family stove.
Liang Hong did not consent to a government position
Wife Meng Guang came from a rich family wearing fragrant cloth skirts.

Although you my wife did not get a formal education
You have heard these oral stories of husbands and wives.
After one thousand years
How will future people regard you and me?

All of one’s life before the time we die
Hopefully the future will not forget the lives we chose to lead.
All we need is a roof over our heads, with some clothing and food.
Just enough warm food to make our stomachs full.

Vegetables are sufficient to appease our hunger
Do not treasure meat and fancy meals.
Cotton-backed fabrics are adequate to ride out the cold
Embroidered script on brocade certainly not required.

Your childhood relatives were honest and not corrupt officials
I too will leave my descendants with nothing but a debt-free beginning.
I am also ready to suffer as a loyal and faithful scholar
Today we begin our new and married life.
I will protect and provide for us the simple and quiet necessities
Together to share the same joys and happiness through old age.

Notes:

Qian Lou, Ji Que, Tao Yuanming, and Liang Hong were all men who lived in more ancient times.  Bai Juyi is using them and their wives as examples to tell his wife how he wants to live a life of simplicity and honesty. He is uncomfortable taking the bribes that would be required to buy her fancy things, and to receive large grants of land like many of the higher level government officials.